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True stories from the files of The Armed Citizen

Two armed men stormed into a Dollar General store one evening and attempted to rob it.

While the men held the store manager at gunpoint, a 57-year-old man carrying a concealed .45 cal. handgun, who had been shopping at the store at the time of the robbery, took action. The customer did not hesitate to draw his gun and fire at the suspects.

One of the men robbing the store suffered fatal wounds to the head, chest and shoulder. The second suspect fled, but was later caught and charged with robbery and felony murder.

There were reportedly no other injuries. (The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville, Fla., 8/29/12).

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Scott Stith was in his bedroom when he heard a loud crash coming from the first floor of his home.

He grabbed his .45 cal. pistol and crept downstairs to investigate. He spotted the silhouette of a man, but did not fire because he had teenage sons in the house and was not 100 percent sure of his target.

He called out only to discover the man was an intruder who had broken through the glass of the back door.

Just before 2 a.m., a 25-year-old man shot another man in the head at Bonnie's Food and Spirits after he was asked to leave.

He then fatally shot another customer outside the pub. When he pointed his pistol at Mark Ktytor, however, Ktytor produced his own firearm and fired multiple rounds, leaving the assailant in critical condition.

The suspect will be charged with criminal homicide and attempted homicide upon his release from the hospital. (The Times-Tribune, Plymouth, Pa., 9/11/12).

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After locking up, a female employee of Cakes and Confections 4U was leaving the business through a back door when she realized she was cornered by two strange men.

One man struck her in the jaw while the other ripped off her necklace and earrings.

When the men then attempted to sexually assault the woman, she produced a concealed .32 cal. firearm from her waistband and fired. Both men immediately dropped the stolen jewelry and ran.

After the incident, the woman said her firearm saved her life and that she had a strong message to all women, "If you don't have a gun or you're scared of guns, get familiar with them and get a gun." (FOX Carolina 21, Landrum, S.C., 8/29/12).

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Pharmacist John Agyemang was working alone around 2 p.m. at Jolin's Pharmacy when an armed man entered and demanded painkillers.

Agyemang distracted the robber by telling him there was someone entering the store. When the suspect turned around, Agyemang dashed to the store's back room where he kept his gun.

According to police, multiple shots were fired and the suspect was able to get away on a mountain bike. It is unknown whether or not the suspect was wounded. There were no other reported injuries. (CBS, Winslow Township, N.J., 9/12/12).

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Zachary Rogers, 26, was working late one night at the 21st Amendment liquor store.

It was just past midnight when an armed man wearing a ski mask entered the store and forced Rogers and another store employee, Alicia Grabarczyk, 25, down a hallway toward an office where the safe was kept.

With a concealed handgun in his front pocket, Rogers chose his moment of opportunity carefully. In one quick motion, Rogers pushed Grabarczyk to the floor and fired at the armed robber. He then helped Grabarczyk into the office and out of the line of fire.

Although the burglar had been struck, Rogers saw him raise his firearm. Rogers fired three more rounds at the gunman, which proved fatal. Neither Rogers nor Grabarczyk was harmed. (Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis, Ind., 10/11/12).

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Around 5 a.m. on October 9, 2012, 72-year-old Jerry Duncan called police to report that he had fired a single shot at someone who had cut his electricity and was attempting to break into his home.

Before Duncan fired he told the perpetrator to go away, but 51-year-old William Ragsdell of Lake Elsinore did not acquiesce. The shot was fatal, and Ragsdell died at 6:15 a.m. at the Inland Balley Regional Medical Center in Wildomar. (The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, Calif., 10/9/12).

This "Armed Citizen" column was reprinted with permission from The American Rifleman.